Chrissy Ahh, Greece! The only country that will leave a piece of itself in your heart. These 124 quotes about Greece will inspire you to visit or reminisce about watching sunsets from the Acropolis, admiring the views in Santorini, or swimming with sea turtles in Zakynthos.
Here I have compiled the best Greece quotes from poets, authors, Greek philosophers, and those who just love all things Greek. Get ready to get excited for your adventure in this breathtaking country. OPA!
This article may contain affiliate / compensated links. For full information, please see our disclosure here.
Related posts:
Best Quotes About Greece
Below I have listed all my favorite quotes about Greece. Before you pack for Greece, read through these beautiful quotes and save your favorites before you go relaxing on the beaches in Santorini, chasing sunsets in Zia Kos, visiting the historical sites in Athens, or island hopping in the Ionian Sea.
1. “Greece is the most magical place on Earth.”-Kyle Bax
2. “You know, it is said that we Greeks are a fervent and warm-blooded breed. Well, let me tell you something – it is true.” – Melina Mercouri
3. “The Greek language seems different than other languages. I’m not the only person to think this. Usually, I come up with some kind of dopey metaphor for why it’s different. But it seems, somehow, more original, more like being in the morning of language.” – Anne Carson
4. “Greece is a good place to look at the moon, isn’t it?”– Kari Hesthamar
5. “The isles of Greece, the isles of Greece! Where burning Sappho loved and sung, where grew the arts of war and peace, where Delos rose, and Phoebus sprung! Eternal summer gilds them yet, but all, except their sun, is set.” – Lord Byron
6. “What I liked about Greece was […] the impressive force of the language itself, unconfined by dictionaries, spoken in the streets, in cafés and in the country.”- Peter Levi
7. “Greek is a musical and prolific language, that gives a soul to the objects of sense, and a body to the abstractions of philosophy.” – Edward Gibbon
8. “If I’d been born in ancient Greece, I’d worship Zeus and Aphrodite”– Richard Dawkins
9. “Greece is the home of Gods. They may have died, but their presence still makes itself felt.” – Henry Miller
10. “How great are the dangers I face to win a good name in Athens.”– Alexander the Great
11. “Greece was a muse. It inspired creativity in magical ways that I can’t even begin to understand or explain.”– Joe Bonamassa
12. “Greece – The feeling of being lost in time and geography with months and years hazily sparkling ahead in a prospect of inconjecturable magic.” – Patrick Leigh Fermor
13. “Greece gave democracy to the rest of the world.”-Alexis Tsipras
14. “For me, Greece is Maria Farantouri. This is how I imagined Goddess Hera to be: strong, pure, and vigilant. I have never encountered any other artist able to give me such a strong sense of the divine.” – François Mitterrand
15. “The light of Greece opened my eyes, penetrated my pores, expanded my whole being.” – Henry Miller
16. “Greece appears to be the fountain of knowledge; Rome of elegance.” – Samuel Johnson
17. “Greece is a good place for rebirths.” – Judith Martin
“Europe holds a great history of philosophy from Greece until today. I read all those books and see these buildings, and I think of where I stand when I design my architecture.” – Tadao Ando
18. “When God was handing out the lands on earth he called the representatives of all tribes to meet at noon on a certain date. After a night of revelry, the Greeks showed up late only to find out God had already allocated each tribe its land. As usual, the Greeks grumbled, so finally, God conceded. “There are no more lots available except one I had kept for myself“ – and he gave them Greece. Truth or fiction, this is truly a blessed land.” – Unknown
19. “Athens, the eye of Greece, mother of arts and eloquence, native to famous wits.”– John Milton
20. “The sea was sapphire colored, and the sky. Burned like a heated opal through the air; we hoisted sail; the wind was blowing fair. For the blue lands that to the eastward lie. From the steep prow I marked with quickening eye Zakynthos, every olive grove and creek, Ithaca’s cliff, Lycaon’s snowy peak, and all the flower-strewn hills of Arcady. The flapping of the sail against the mast, the ripple of the water on the side, the ripple of girls’ laughter at the stern, the only sounds:- when ‘gan the West to burn, and a red sun upon the seas to ride, I stood upon the soil of Greece at last!” – Oscar Wilde
21. ”As you set out for Ithaca, hope your road is a long one, full of adventure, full of discovery.”– Konstantinos Kavafis
22. “Experts in ancient Greek culture say that people back then didn’t see their thoughts as belonging to them. When ancient Greeks had a thought, it occurred to them as a god or goddess giving an order. Apollo was telling them to be brave. Athena was telling them to fall in love. Now people hear a commercial for sour cream potato chips and rush out to buy, but now they call this free will. At least the ancient Greeks were being honest. “–Chuck Palahniuk
Inspiring Quotes About Greece
23. “If you go back to the Greeks and Romans, they talk about all three – wine, food, and art – as a way of enhancing life.”– Robert Mondavi
24. “Alcohol makes other people less tedious, and food less bland, and can help provide what the Greeks called entheos, or the slight buzz of inspiration when reading or writing.” -Christopher Hitchens
25. “If you go back to the Greeks and Romans, they talk about all three – wine, food, and art – as a way of enhancing life.” – Robert Mondavi “
26. You must understand what the Parthenon Marbles mean to us. They are our pride. They are our sacrifices. They are our noblest symbol of excellence. They are a tribute to the democratic philosophy. They are our aspirations and our name. They are the essence of Greekness.” – Melina Mercouri
27. “Greece has got something like 1,400 islands. There is so much of Greece you can’t know even if you’re Greek. It’s sprinkled out all around the edge of the Aegean, all over the place. It’s already a secret place wherever you go, even if it’s somewhere huge like Athens or Corinth. The place enchanted me. “- Joanna Lumley
28. “Happy is the man, I thought, who, before dying, has the good fortune to sail the Aegean sea. “– Nikos Kazantzakis, Zorba the Greek
29. “Hence we will not say that Greeks fight like heroes but that heroes fight like Greeks.” – Winston Churchill
30. “If Greece is destroyed completely, an olive tree, a vine, and a boat will remain. That is enough to rebuild her from the beginning.” – Odysseus Elytis
31. “The spirit of Greece, passing through and ascending above the world, hath so animated universal nature, that the very rocks and woods, the very torrents and wilds burst forth with it.” – Walter Savage Landor
32. “The world is the expanding Greece and Greece is the shrinking world.” – Victor Hugo
33. “The Greeks had invented democracy, built the Acropolis and called it a day.”– David Sedaris
34. “If you go back to the Greeks and Romans, they talk about all three – wine, food, and art – as a way of enhancing life.”– Robert Mondavi
35. “There is a kind of flame in Crete – let us call it “soul” – something more powerful than either life or death. There is pride, obstinacy, valor, and together with these something else inexpressible and imponderable, something which makes you rejoice that you are a human being, and at the same time tremble. “-Nikos Kazantzakis
Greek Quotes For Those Who Love Greek Culture
36.“Among all peoples, the Greeks have dreamt life’s dream most beautifully.” — Wolfgang Goethe
37. “I’ve got my huge Greek family. I mean, I don’t know how many cousins I have – I can’t even keep track. There are just so many of us, and we love all Greek food – we have Greek night every Sunday night.” – Elena Kampouris
38. “Greeks use food for everyday gatherings. Cooking is a big part of our lives. We want to show people our hospitality.” – Ioanna Hawkins
39. “Today, to walk along the pebbled pathways of a traditional Greek mountain village or the marbled streets of an ancient acropolis is to step back in time. To meander at a leisurely pace through these island chains by boat is to be captivated by the same dramatic landscapes and enchanted islets that make the myths of ancient Greece so compelling. To witness the Mediterranean sun setting on the turquoise sea is to receive one of life’s greatest blessings.” – Laura Brooks
40. ”In many ways we are all sons and daughters of ancient Greece.”- Nia Vardalos
41. “It is no wonder that historians trace the birth of Western civilization to these jewels of the Aegean, Ionian, and Mediterranean seas. The Greek Isles are home to wide-ranging and far-reaching cultural traditions and mythic tales, not to mention the colorful history and unforgettable vistas that still draw thousands of tourists to the region every year.” – Laura Brooks
42. “In Greece, we’re too poor to go to psychiatrists – we have friends instead.” – Melina Mercouri
43. “In Greece, people have a quality of life. People here live beautifully.” – Otto Rehhagel
44. “Greece is the home of the gods; they may have died but their presence still makes itself felt. The gods were of human proportion: they were created out of the human spirit.” – Henry Miller
45. “The center of Western culture is Greece, and we have never lost our ties with the architectural concepts of that ancient civilization.” – Stephen Gardiner
46. ”We are all Greeks. Our laws, our literature, our religion, our arts have their root in Greece.” -Percy Bysshe Shelley
47. “Enthusiasm is a wonderful thing. In South America, they throw flowers to you. In Greece, Greeks throw themselves.” – Melina Mercouri
48. “On a summer night, I have sat on the balcony drinking Ouzo, watching the ghosts of Greek Heroes sailing past, listening to the rustle of their sail cloths and the gentle lapping of their oars.” -Phil Simpkin
Funny Greek Quotes
49. “Work Tip: Stand up. Stretch. Take a walk. Go to the airport. Get on a plane. Go to Greece. Never return.”- Unknown
50.“You can’t swing a cat in Ancient Greece without hitting one of Zeus’s ex-girlfriends.”-Rick Riordan
51. “I want to go to Italy and France; those are my two places. And I really want to go to Greece. I’ve seen so many pictures on Airbnb that make me think I should be living there. I could eat great salads and be on a boat.” – Mary Lambert
52. “Be afraid of the Greeks bearing gifts.”— Virgil
53. “There are two kinds of people. Greeks, and everyone else who wish they was Greek.” – My Big Fat Greek Wedding
54. “Give me a word, any word, and I’ll show you that the root of that word is Greek”-Greeks
55. “I want to have an ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ experience where I drop off the face of the planet and move to Greece.”– Jennifer Hyman
56. “The mention of Greece fills the mind with the most exalted sentiments and arouses in our bosoms the best feelings of which our nature is capable.” – James Monroe
57. “In a way, it’s nice to know that there are Greek gods out there, because you have somebody to blame when things go wrong.” -Rick Riordan.
58. “Most British newspapers now have more columns than the Acropolis.’ – Ian Jack
59. “If you look at a map of Europe you will observe that Greece is a skeleton-like hand stretching its crooked fingers out into the Mediterranean Sea.” — Will Durant
Quotes About Greece Travel
60. “If I could go anywhere, I’d love to visit Greece someday because it looks so beautiful.” – Laurie Hernandez
“One of the purest joys that man can afford in this world is to visit the Aegean Sea in the spring, with a breath of light breeze; I have never been able to imagine paradise in any other way. This joy grows right upside down, but God does not allow it to escalate so that the beloved visible world does not disappear with it, on the contrary, the invisible world becomes visible, and what we call God and eternal life and bliss join us on the ship and accompany us on the voyage. In the bitter hour of your death, close your eyes, and you will see Santorini, Naxos, Paros, Mykonos.” – Nikos Kazantzakis
61. “I like reading, free diving, and hiking. But my favorite thing to do is travel anywhere in Greece. I love everything about that place.” – Max Irons
62. “I’m looking at the sea on the wall, and even though it’s a copy of a copy of the Aegean, I wish you would grab me and take me to Greece.” – Analicia Sotelo
63. “Contemporary travelers to the Greek Isles come for myriad reasons and find a dazzling array of unexpected delights, for each of the more than three thousand islands has its own particular character. From the larger, bustling islands of Crete, Rhodes, and the island nation of Cyprus to the quieter havens of Folegandros and Kárpathos, to the hundreds of tiny, uninhabited islets of the region, the Greek Isles present a collage of diverse landscapes and customs. Mykonos is fun-loving, with lively tavernas and populated beaches. Delos is stoic, protecting the ruins of its ancient sanctuaries in solemn dignity. Milos is magical, with its volcanic rock formations and stunning village vistas.” – Laura Brooks
Ancient Greece Quotes
64. “Not life, but good life, is to be chiefly valued.”-Socrates
65. “The ancient Oracle said that I was the wisest of all the Greeks. It is because I alone, of all the Greeks, know that I know nothing.”– Socrates
66. “Yet is it more honorable, and just, and upright, and pleasing, to treasure in the memory good acts than bad.” – Xenophon
67. “There are two things a person should never be angry at, what they can help, and what they cannot.” – Plato
68. “Not life, but good life, is to be chiefly valued.”-Socrates
69. ”Those who intend on becoming great should love neither themselves nor their own things, but only what is just, whether it happens to be done by themselves or others.”– Plato
70. “Knowledge without justice ought to be called cunning rather than wisdom.” – Plato
71. “The unexamined life is not worth living.” – Socrates
72. “People are like dirt. They can either nourish you and help you grow as a person or they can stunt your growth and make you wilt and die.” – Plato
73. “At a touch of love, everyone becomes a poet.” – Plato
74. “Wisdom begins in wonder.” – Socrates
75. “Knowledge creates happiness.”– Plato
77. “For what should a man live, if not for the pleasures of discourse?” – Plato
78. “The easiest thing in the world is self-deceit; for every man believes what he wishes, though the reality is often different.”– Demosthenes
79. “Virtue does not come from money, but from virtue comes money and all other good things to man, both to the individual and to the state.” – Socrates
80. “I would far rather be ignorant than knowledgeable of evil.” – Aeschylus
81. “All men by nature desire to know. An indication of this is the delight we take in our senses; for even apart from their usefulness they have loved for themselves and above all others the sense of sight. For not only with a view to action, but even when we are not going to do anything, we prefer sight to almost everything else. The reason is that this, most of all the senses, makes us know and brings to light many differences between things.” – Aristotle
82. “Nothing exists except atoms and empty space; everything else is just opinion.” – Democritus
83. “Beware the barrenness of a busy life.” – Socrates
Short Greek Quotes & Captions
84. “I want to see the Parthenon by moonlight”– Daphne Du Maurier
85. “Greece is too old to die.”– Lito Seizani
86. All you want is Greece.
87. It’s all Greek to me!
88. I left my heart in Greece
89. Keep calm and go to Greece!
90. Eat, sleep, and travel to Greece.
91. Keep calm and eat a gyro.
92. I love Greece.
Greek Quotes For Instagram
93. “And then God said, let there be Greece.” – Unknown
94. “The problem with Greece is that she’s just too beautiful.” – Unknown
95. “You know you’re in Greece when you feel a unique, indescribable, out of this world euphoria being there and a deep sadness when you’re leaving.” – Unknown
96. “Part of why I love Greek food so much is that it is simple, but it’s unpretentious. It’s authentic.” – Princess Tatiana of Greece and Denmark
97. “I love Greek food in the summer.” – Antoni Porowski
98. “Greece is more than a country. It is an experience.” – Unknown
99. “It takes a lifetime to discover Greece, but it only takes an instant to fall in love with her.” – Henry Miller
100. “Athens, the eye of Greece, mother of arts And eloquence.” – John Milton
101. “Get ready for wine, raki, and getting hand-fed by strangers.” – Anthony Bourdain
READ: 11 Awesome Things To Do In Zakynthos
Greece Instagram Captions & Greece Puns
102. I followed my heart and it led me to Greece.
103. Just hopping from one Greek island to the next.
104. Aren’t you glad we went to Athens?
105. I followed my heart and it led me to Greece.
106. It’s no secret that I belong in Greece.
107. Greece a small piece of heaven on earth.
108. Greetings from Greece.
109. Athena, where ya at?
110. Feta late than never.
111. Greece, I’m going to myth you.
112. I can be your gyro, baby!
113. What Athens in Greece, stays in Greece.
114. Take another Greece of my heart.
115. Greecey hair, don’t care.
116. All Rhodes lead to Greece.
117. Wonders never Greece.
118. I should be souvlaki.
119. Greece, I’ll definitely be baklava!
120. Olive you.
121. I’m not a freddo tell you that I’m in love with Greece.
122. Greeking out over these views.
123. Got Greece on my mind.
124. Symi in Greece.
124 Greece Quotes And Captions Final Thoughts
I hope you enjoyed these 124 quotes about Greece and they inspired you to visit or had you reminiscing about memories you made there. Which was your favorite Greece quote? Let me know in the comments below.
Check out my posts on Athens and Zakynthos to inspire you on your trip to Greece.
Enjoy reading quotes? I have more posts with quotes and captions:
- Funny Travel Quotes
- Hawaii Captions For Instagram
- Traveling Alone Quotes
- Summer Quotes & Captions
- Beach Quotes
- Mexico Captions
- Beverly Hills Captions
- Los Angeles Captions
- Sun Captions For Instagram
- Beautiful Waterfall Quotes And Captions
- Best Friend Travel Quotes
- Sunset Captions & Quotes
- New York Instagram Captions
- Captions For Travel
- Statue Of Liberty Quotes
- Dubai Instagram Captions
- Desert Instagram Captions
- Rooftop Captions
- Times Square Captions
- Florida Captions
- Amsterdam Captions
- Zurich Instagram Captions
- Santorini Instagram Captions
- Quotes About Palm Trees
- Idioms About Travel
- Copenhagen Instagram Captions
- Utah Quotes
- Abu Dhabi Instagram Captions
- Road Trip Instagram Captions
- Malibu Captions
- Flying Captions
- Hollywood Captions
- Texas Instagram Captions
- California Instagram Captions
- Tulum Captions
- Portugal Instagram Captions
- Bahamas Captions
- Seattle Captions
- Miami Instagram Captions
- Adventure Captions For Instagram
- Self-Love Captions For Instagram
- Star Captions
- Bike Captions For Instagram
- Snowflake Instagram Captions
- Fall Instagram Captions
- Pumpkin Patch Captions For Instagram
- Bucket List Captions
- Canada Instagram Captions
- Rio de Janiero Instagram Captions
- Brazil Captions For Instagram
- Africa Captions For Instagram
Love these quotes about Greece? Share it with others or pin it for later.
The Robert Mondavi quote got me, because wine and food. Greece is definitely up there on the list!
Yes food and wine Agnes! I hope you get to visit soon! Greece is such a beautiful country!
These quotes are getting me very excited for my trip to Greece! It was planned for last year but we had to postpone for obvious reasons.
Oh I am so sorry to hear that Krista. I had to postpone some trips too. You’re going to love Greece. Every town and island I visited is just beautiful. Hopefully, you get to visit this year.